Side Hustles Close Up: Make Extra Cash with Medical Transcription
Ms. No Single Mama Drama
Want to significantly improve the quality of life for you and your child(ren)? The single best way to change your quality of life is to increase your earning power—and that means getting new skills. As a single mother, college is not always an option.
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Ms. No Single Mama Drama Mouths Off:
If you think that living together is better than not living together, think again. In my opinion, living together can do more harm than good. First, it sends the wrong message to children. It says that I’m good enough for this man to live with and sleep with but not good enough for him to marry. To girls, it says my mother doesn’t value herself, so why should I? To boys, it says that if it’s okay for a man to treat my mom that way, then it must be okay for me to treat all women that way. Wrong!
If you think it’s okay…watch this video to see what you’re condoning:
Until June, I was involved in a four-year relationship (we cohabitated for three) that worked well for me and my boyfriend, but did not work for our kids. Though there was a lot of love and we tried to provide a family-like atmosphere, our house was still filled with drama because our kids were confused. I was so stressed out that I didn’t know what to do.
One day in church, God spoke to me and said, “move out of that house ASAP, and I will bless you with a peaceful household”. And though I felt like I was breaking my “family” up, I wasn’t. We were never a family in the first place. In order for that to happen, we would have to be married and that’s not something that either one of us is ready for, so we decided to sacrifice our happiness to obey God and do what’s best for our children: live separately.
And isn’t that what parenting is about…sacrificing our happiness for that of our child(ren)?
In September, with God’s help (I’ll write a post about this soon), I purchased a home and have had a sense of peace that I know is a gift from God. See how God honors his promises and rewards sacrifices?
As single mothers, we have an obligation to value ourselves for the sake of our children—it is our responsibility and ours alone. If we don’t value ourselves, who will? If we don’t teach our children how to value themselves, who will?
Here’s some soul food to nibble on:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Peace, love and blessings and, of course, keep it drama free.
Ms. No Single Mama Drama
Got questions? Ask me!
Study Shows Cohabiting Bad for Kids
In the May 2007 issue of Child Trends (Research Brief), an article titled, The Relationship Context of Births Outside of Marriage: The Rise of Cohabitation, states that over the past 30 years, child births outside of marriage have risen to 37 percent in 2005, compared with 22 percent in 1985. Additionally, the non-marital birth rate has increased from 32.8 in 1985 to 47.6 in 2005. While the changes have been seen in all age groups, younger women outpace their older counterparts.
The reason? People are choosing cohabitation over marriage at alarming rates.
But, one of the most interesting findings of the study is that cohabitating, often seen as a “step in the right direction,” can actually do as much harm to children in cohabitating households as to children headed by single mother households. Children in cohabitating relationships (versus those in married households) are more likely to:
1) Be poor
2) Have inadequate access to food & health care
3) Have literacy issues
4) Have disciplinary problems
Interestingly, these are the same issues faced by children of single-mother households but to a lesser degree.
So what’s the benefit?
Ms. No Single Mama Drama Mouths Off on the Subject.
Peace, love and blessings and, of course, keep it drama free.
Ms. No Single Mama Drama
Got questions? Ask Me!
Side Hustles – Part III: Make Extra Cash
Ms. No Single Mama Drama’s Top Side Hustles – These are the ones that I, at one point or another, did to escape financial drama. Yes, I did every one of these at some point or another, and I’m only thirty-something. So, you can, too! Warning: The list is LONG.
Check out my blog post:
Side Hustles: How to Get Started
Water Seller
Sold water at parks/sporting events on super hot days
Candy House
We were the candy/ice cream apartment – My motto: “Don’t walk to the store, shop at apartment number 4” (lol)
Button Maker
Created buttons for schools, churches and local organizations fund raising efforts
Personalized Greeting Card Designer
Created personalized greeting cards (i.e. birthdays, anniversaries, etc)
Memory Book Maker
Created personalized memory books, including new births, weddings, anniversaries, family tree/history
Side Hustles – Part II: Make Extra Money
As I have previously stated in Part I, most of my single mama drama (SMD) has been unequivocally financial. I’m sure that most single mothers out there would agree. And, more importantly, financial drama can cause a whole lot of other kinds of drama—especially in the romance department.
NO Single Mama Drama 